​Stay Cool! A Summer Clothing Guide for Walkers and Hikers

Walking, hiking and climbing do not have to be confined to the cooler times of the year. If appropriate clothing is worn, there is nothing to stop you enjoying your favourite activities in the summer months without becoming uncomfortable. BCH Camping stock many items of lightweight and summer-appropriate clothing to help you do this.

You should be aware that, just like you, your clothing needs to breathe too. Furthermore, just as we need breathable clothing in cold and wet weather, the same applies when walking in the heat, to help to avoid keeling over! (Drinking plenty of water is still important for that too, by the way!).

Are some fabrics more breathable in hot weather than others?
When you consider fashion fabrics, in the summer you may be drawn to breathable fabrics such as chambray, linen and cotton because they are more breathable and make you feel more comfortable in hot weather.

For walking and hiking, the principle is the same – the more breathable the better. Clothing made of Polyester, with Argentium stretch interlock, is breathable and therefore ideal for high impact activities. Argentium “wicks” moisture and sweat away – that is to say, the fabric allows sweat to transfer from the wearer’s body to the air around them.

Range of products with wicking properties at BCH Camping
At BCH Camping we offer a range of products that are ideal for hot conditions because of the inherent wicking moisture management system:

Berghaus Men’s Short Sleeve Crew Neck Tech T-Shirt: This technical tee is made from Polyester, with Argentium to wick away the sweat, leaving you feeling cool, dry and comfortable. If you’re worried about becoming smelly because of the sweat (we’re not too shy to talk about this – we’re all friends after all!), the Polygiene technology in the Argentium also fights off odours. Finally, this fabulous tee has an Ultra-Violet Protection Factor (UPF) rating of 30, excluding the mesh, making it a safer option in the direct sunlight.

Jack Wolfskin Crosstrail Tee Men’s: Made from single jersey Polyester fabric, this tee wicks perspiration quickly, and the fabric feels cool against the skin. It is lightweight and also has odour-inhibiting properties.

Sun-repellent clothing from BCH Camping
Many walks and hikes take place in wide open spaces with little opportunity for shade. In such conditions, it is advisable that you wear clothing with UV protection, similar to those items above.

At BCH Camping, we have many additional items in our range, a couple of examples of which are:

Is it possible to buy clothing that is mosquito repellent?
BCH Camping stock Craghoppers ‘NosiLife’ products, treated with mosquito repellent which lasts for approximately 40 washes. The insect-repellent treatment is woven into the fabric, protecting against insects that may otherwise find you irresistibly tasty.

The NosiLife range also incorporates a wicking feature, thereby covering all bases, and any garment that has a collar also has a cooling element within the fabric.

Other convertible trousers available from BCH Camping
Sometimes that pesky sun can sneak up on us. It can often be the case that when you set off for your walk you are comfortable in a long length trouser, but by the time it comes to the midday sun you need more ventilation! And let’s face it, it’s always good to have options.

Trousers that can be converted to shorts at the swish of a zip are ideal in these circumstances:

Craghoppers Women’s Kiwi II Convertible Trouser: These trousers are zipped to swiftly convert to shorts and have the added benefit of Nosi Defence which provides a robust barrier of specially constructed fibres which are too tough for insects to penetrate. They have been recently improved by Craghoppers to have a more streamlined profile, and have a UPF rating of 50.

Berghaus Men’s Explorer ECO Zip Off Pant: Made with Berghaus’ ECO nylon fabric, these zip-off trousers are manufactured with significant water and energy savings by using pre-coloured yarn which eliminates the fabric dyeing process.

As always, we want our customers to enjoy their activities and have as much information available as possible to enable them to make informed buying choices. Our staff are on hand to offer any guidance on lightweight and summer clothing, or any other topic with which you need help. Please don’t hesitate to contact us if we can offer any assistance.

Like what you’ve read? Why not share with your friends

June 26 2017 |
Garth

We hope you enjoyed our blog post and would welcome your feedback on what you have read, maybe you would like to suggest an amendment or add to the post, if so please post your comment below.